Means for detachably connecting partition walls



Oct. 1966 B. h. J. H. ALVDEN 3,276,172

MEANS FOR DETACHABLY CONNECTING PARTITION WALLS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July, 20, 1964 FIG. 1

FIG. 3

FIG. 2

Oct. 4, 1966 B. R. J. H. ALVDEN 3,276,172

MEANS FOR DETACHABLY CONNECTING PARTITION WALLS Filed July 20, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 4

United States Patent 3,276,172 MEANS FOR DETACHABLY CONNECTING PARTITION WALLS Bror Robert John Hjalmar Alvdn, Goteborg, Sweden,

assignor to Aktiebolaget Gotaverken, Goteborg, Sweden, a corporation of Sweden Filed July 20, 1964, Ser. No. 383,881 Claims priority, application Sweden, Aug. 6, 1963, 8,634/63; June 5, 1964, 6,882/64 6 Claims. (Cl. 52-127) It has been proposed to connect building structures, for instance removable partition walls, by means of builtin locking members, in such a manner that a flush surface is obtained. Walls of this type are, however, of complicated design, are expensive to manufacture and require a long time for erection.

One object of the patent invention is to obtain a locking member which is easy to fit in arbitrary, suitable places along the joint between two structural building elements, which securely locks the parts and which makes possible a simple assembly and removal of the structure.

One object of the invention is to obtain a locking member which easily cuts into the side walls of the groove and which may be so designed that it forces the building elements closer together.

Another object of the invention is to obtain a locking member provided with a central operating body, which makes it easy to apply a tool for turning the member when it has been placed in the desired position and which also may be designed to ensure a certain minimum clearance between the elements.

In accordance with the principles of the present invention, a building structural assembly (e.g., an interior par- .tition) shall comprise a plurality of elements which are arranged edge to edge with a clearance between each two adjacent elements. These elements have matching grooves having parallel side walls in juxtaposed edges of said elements, each such groove extending longitudinally from end to end of the pertaining edge of the element. The elements are secured together by means of a plurality of connection members disposed in said grooves, each of which connection members consists essentially of a diceshaped central maneuvering body which has oppositely extending dowels arranged symmetrically with respect to a common axis. Said central maneuvering body has, in two planes taken at right angles to the common axis, a larger dimension than the width of the groove. The dowels are somewhat shorter than is the depth of the groove, and each dowel has two smooth sides and two toothed sides, the two smooth sides being at a distance from each other corresponding to the smallest width of a groove whilst the two toothed sides are spaced from each other at a distance greater than the width of a groove. Reaching through the clearance between confronting elements is a tool for contacting the aforesaid maneuvering body whereby to turn the members.

The two smooth sides of each dowel may be tapered from bottom to top.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 shows a horizontal section through two structural elements adapted to be interconnected.

FIGURE 2 shows the same assembly after the connection has taken place.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view on a larger scale of the connection member.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the invention as utilized on a partition wall.

FIGURE 5 shows a type of tool used during assembling.

FIGURE 6 shows a partly screw threaded connecting member provided with a permanently fitted tool handle.

FIGURE 7 shows a wall of light weight concrete, where two rows of connecting members are used.

On the drawing corresponding parts are denoted by the same numerals. Thus numerals 1 and 2 indicate structural elements which are to be connected. Matching grooves arranged in the edges of said elements are denoted by 3 and 4, and a connecting member is denoted by 5. This member consists of a central operating body 6 having oppositely extending, essentially prismatic dowels or studs 8 arranged symmetrically with respect to a common axis 7. These dowels have a length which is some what less than the depth of the groove and they are provided with two smooth parallel sides 8a at a distance corresponding to the smallest width of the groove. The dowels further have two sides 8b provided with transversely arranged saw-teeth or similar rills. The distance between the top parts of the teeth in these sides of the dowels is bigger than the above mentioned width of the grooves, in such a manner that the teeth will be forced into the sides of the groove, when the member is turned. To facilitate the cutting action of the teeth their tops are shaped as parts of a cylinder surface. Hereby a rigid connection between the elements is obtained. The operating body 6 is pierced by a boring 9, suitably shaped to receive a tool designed as a bent bar 10, a screwdriver or the like. The central opera-ting body 6 further, in two planes taken at right angles to the longitudinal axis 7, shows larger measures than the width of the grooves, 3 or 4 respectively. Hereby a definite minimum clearance between .the meeting edges is always obtained. The breadth of the body 6, i.e. the distance between the feet of the dowels 8 is so chosen that the clearance makes possible the insertion of a tool or forms a channel for drawing cables or conduits 11. The clearance between the edges is covered by fillets 12 of plastic or similar material, which preferably are so designed that they are resiliently retained between the elements.

FIGURE 4 shows an example of a partition wall consisting of separate panel elements. Elements 1 and 2 are arranged edge to edge with a certain clearance and rest on a shim 1-3, which extends along the tloor, and at its lower surface is provided with a strip of elastic material. This shim 13 is provided with a longitudinal tongue. The lower edges of the elements are provided with a groove, which with respect to its width corresponds to that of the tonque but which is somewhat deeper than the height thereof. In this manner a longitudinally running channel 15 is obtained in which cables or conduits 11 may be arranged. The channel is covered by a moulding 16. The insertion of the connection members 5 in the groove 3 and 4 may either be done through said horizontal channel 15 or through special recesses 17 at the upper edge of the elements. The recesses 17 will be covered by a second moulding 18. On those instances where the structure will be utilized as a wain-scotting fastened to a lattice work or to a wall, for instance in order to obtain a panelling on a steel bulkhead of a ship, the boring in the operating body 6 may preferably be used for the fitting of a screw 19 or the like, by means of which the structure is fixed to the supporting wall. The head of the screw 6 will in this inst-ance remain in the clearance between two elements and be covered by the fillet 12 in such a manner that it is invisible.

The operating body may be dice shaped, in such a manner that it might be turned by means of spanner or some other tool acting (against its sides.

If narrow clearance is desired between the elements the fitting of the connection members and the working of the tool during assembling may be difiicult. The member and/ or the tool may slip and become wedged within the groove or clearance, respectively, in a wrong position, from which they are hard to retrieve. FIG

URE 6 shows a perspective view of a modified design of a connection member to which a tool is permanently fitted. The tool is shaped like a rod handle a. The free end of the rod is bent at 20 and has a part parallel to the plane to the toothed sides of the dowels. During the fitting of the connection members the rod will extend at right angles to the plane of the wall, which permits an easy manipulation of the members for location at correct places. When the unit has been turned 90 for locking purposes the rod will be parallel to the plane of the wall and be completely concealed in the clearance. The broader sides of the dowels are so designed that the teeth will form part of a screw threaded line. Hereby it is possible to force the elements closer together during the final stage of the application of the member. The bent bar 20 guarantees a horizontal location of the member, which results in the best grip. For removal of the member the rod 10a is caught by a suitable implement, for instance a screw driver, which is facilitated by the bend.

FIGURE 7 shows a structural assembly consisting of lightweight concrete slabs 1 and 2. The edge of each slab is provided with two parallel tapering grooves 30, 31 and 40, 41. In order to minimize the number of drawings we have shown grooves 40 and 41 as tapering towards the bottom and grooves 30 and 31 as being Wider at their bottom. Normally, of course, only one type of taper is used at the same element. The dowels 80 of the locking member 50 are given a corresponding shape and their teeth are higher and sharper than in the preceeding design. As fillets rubber tubings 120 are used. One end of the tube is closed and a vacuum pump is connected to the other end. The flattened tube is pushed into the clearance and when the air is admitted into the tube the resiliency of the material expands the tube so that the clearance is eflectively closed.

The connecting members may also be utilized together with other structural part-s than partition wall elements, for instance in order to connect a window or door frame to a wall or the like.

What I claim is:

1. In a building structural assembly consisting of elements arranged edge to edge with a clearance therebetween opposed matching continuous grooves having essentia'lly parallel side 'walls in juxtaposed edges of said elements, each groove extending longitudinally from end to end of the pertaining edge;

a number of connection members each engaging opposed grooves, each member consisting of a central operating body having opposite body faces, said operating body being positioned between the edges of the elements, said opposite body faces which abut the grooved edges being wider in all dimensions than the opening in said groove, and axially aligned dowels extending "from said opposite faces of said body, said oppositely extending dowels arranged symmetrically with respect to a common axis each dowel being somewhat shorter than the depth of the groove and having two smooth sides at a distance cooresponding to the smallest width of a groove and two toothed sides spaced a greater distance than said width and operating reaching through the clearance between the elements to engage the operating body for turning the members so that the smooth sides of the member will allow removal from between the elemerits without moving the elements by sliding the member through said groove.

2. The assembly defined in claim 1, wherein the operating bodies are dice-shaped.

3. The assembly defined in claim 1, wherein the side walls of the grooves are narrower at their bottom part than at their rim part, and wherein the smooth sides of each dowel tape-r from the central operating body to the top of the dowel, and wherein the dowels are spaced in conformity to the shape of the groove and have their two toothed sides spaced a greater distance than their smooth sides.

4. The assembly defined in claim 1, wherein the side walls of said grooves are narrower at their rim parts than at their bottom parts.

5. The assembly defined in claim 1, wherein said operating means comprise a rod-like handle secured to said operating body at right angles to a plane through the toothed sides of the dowel.

6. The assembly defined in claim 1 wherein the assembly comprises room height elements to form a wall plane and wherein the corners of the elements have opposed recesses forming connections between the wall plane and said grooves.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 71,909 12/1867 Pierce 287-2092 X 197,721 12/1877 Cornell 28720.92 313,193 3/1885 Gaylord 287-20.92 909,720 1/1909 Webb 287-20.92 1,727,613 9/1929 Loetscher 287-2032 2,962,133 11/1960 Kivett 52580 FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner.

R. A. STENZEL, Assistant Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent Not 3,276,172 October 4, 1966 Bror Robert John Hjalmar Alvden It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 4, line 12, after "operating" insert means "I Signed and sealed this 22nd day of August 19670 AL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER Attesting Officer EDWARD J. BRENNER Commissioner of Patents 

1. IN A BUILDING STRUCTURAL ASSEMBLY CONSISTING OF ELEMENTS ARRANGED EDGE TO EDGE WITH A CLEARANCE THEREBETWEEN OPPOSED MATCHING CONTINUOUS GROOVES HAVING ESSENTIALLY PARALLEL SIDE WALLS IN JUXTAPOSED EDGES OF SAID ELEMENTS, EACH GROOVE EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY FROM END TO END OF THE PERTAINING EDGE; A NUMBER OF CONNECTION MEMBERS EACH ENGAGING OPPOSED GROOVES, EACH MEMBER CONSISTING OF A CENTRAL OPERATING BODY HAVING OPPOSITE BODY FACES, SAID OPERATING BODY BEING POSITIONED BETWEEN THE EDGES OF THE ELEMENTS, SAID OPPOSITE BODY FACES WHICH ABUT THE GROOVED EDGES BEING WIDER IN ALL DIMENSIONS THAN THE OPENING IN SAID GROOVE, AND AXIALLY ALIGNED DOWELS EXTENDING FROM SAID OPPOSITE FACES OF SAID BODY, SAID OPPOSITELY EXTENDING DOWELS ARRANGED SYMMETRICALLY WITH RESPECT TO A COMMON AXIS EACH DOWEL BEING SOMEWHAT SHORTER THAN THE DEPTH OF THE GROOVE AND HAVING TWO SMOOTH SIDES AT A DISTANCE COORESPONDING TO THE SMALLEST WIDTH OF A GROOVE AND TWO TOOTHED SIDES SPACED A GREATER DISTANCE THAN SAID WIDTH AND OPERATING REACHING THROUGH THE CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE ELEMENTS TO ENGAGE THE OPERATING BODY FOR TURNING THE MEMBERS SO THAT THE SMOOTH SIDES OF THE MEMBER WILL ALLOW REMOVAL FROM BETWEEN THE ELEMENTS WITHOUT MOVING THE ELEMENTS BY SLIDING THE MEMBER THROUGH SAID GROOVE. 